Are naturalistic New Testament textual critics providentially guided?
Many conservatives have adopted the theory that it is through textual criticism, and especially through the textual criticism of Westcott and Hort, that Christ has fulfilled his promise always to preserve in His Church the True New Testament Text. In regard to this matter J. H. Skilton (1946) writes as follows: “Textual Criticism, in Gods providence, is the means provided for ascertaining the true text of the Bible.” And half a century earlier Dr. B. B. Warfield (1893) expressed himself in a very similar manner. “In the sense of the Westminster Confession, therefore, the multiplication of copies of the Scriptures, the several early efforts towards the revision of the text, the raising up of scholars in our own day to collect and collate manuscripts, and to reform them on scientific principlesof our Tischendorfs and Tregelleses, and Westcotts and Hortsare all parts of Gods singular care and providence in preserving His inspired Word pure.” Dr. B.B. Warfield was an outstanding defender o
